Interim
by Ravenspark
Summary: Focusing on Arcee's veiw having locked Airachnid in stasis, set between episodes 'armada' and 'flying mind'


Arcee grimaced at the static form of Arachnid. Ratchet's words constantly replayed through her processors.

_Stasis…She deserves worse._

_Stasis…She deserves worse…._

Arcee closed her optics and bowed her head. It hadn't ended as she had thought it would. Many times she had seen Arachnid's spark extinguished, and Tailgate avenged. But From her encounter with Starscream, She realised the monster one could become if she had perused such actions. What would the others have thought of her? Optimus? Jack…?

Jack.

He had yet to know what events had occurred in the last few hours. Arachnid had threatened him, and his mother before. The very thought made Arcee's insides turn. They only allayed when she looked back to the spider. At least she wouldn't be able to harm anyone anymore. Cybertronian, or human… or any other species for that matter.

She sighed as she realised it was time to collect Jack from school. She knew he would pick up on her mood, and would demand to know why. On top of that, their was Bulkhead's amazing story of what happened while trapped on the Decepticon ship, which he had grounded for now. She transformed and sped out of the base.

Ratchet turned and watched the blue motorcycle leave. He then turned to Optimus. After Bulkhead had explained his version of events, both Ratchet and Optimus had been considering the next best move- primarily attacking the Nemesis while it was down. Knowing Arcee, they had left her to silently contemplate what had happened. Openly talking about things was not who she was, and normally only did so when she felt she couldn't hold it in any longer. She hadn't done much since they brought back the stasis-locked Airachnid.

" Do you think she'll be okay?" Ratchet asked as he continued to study more data on the holo-screens, displaying the location of the Nemesis. Optimus looked in the direction Arcee had left.

"The decision she has chosen was the right one, but it will still take time for old wounds to heal, and emotions to console." Optimus said regretfully, disliking to see his comrade in such a position, but proud of her choice. He hoped that Jack would help her move on, and had little doubt he would.

Arcee waited outside Of Jack Darby's school. She was a few minutes early, but that didn't bother her. It gave her time to think. She would have to tell him. But how? 'Hey we have Arachnid in stasis lock back at base' Was not exactly how it would come out. To be honest, she didn't want to be anywhere near Airachnid. The memories still burned heavy in her spark….

" Hey 'cee." Jack's voice suddenly slit through her thoughts as the young teenager hopped on.

" Hey Jack." She replied, stuck at how she seemed to be lost for words for once. As they pulled out of the parking lot, they took a right and headed off. It didn't take jack long to figure out something was up.

" Arcee? Is everything alright? Your not usually this quiet." He asked through the comlink in his helmet. Arcee sighed.

" Something…happened today. Well, a lot of things happened today." Jack looked down questionably at the blue motor cycle. They came to a stop at a red light.

" Was it something bad? Where you hurt? Was anyone else hurt?" He queried, slightly worried.

" No, no one was hurt.." She sighed again and narrated the events, becoming more solemn when she spoke of her own encounter with Airachnid.

" When I saw Arachnid, I followed her. Surprisingly, she went underground." Arcee spoke sarcastically.

"And you followed." Jack continued, listening patiently at the same time, something Arcee was thankful for. They turned and headed down the open road that led to the Autobot base.

" It was a whole nest of insecticons, locked in stasis."

" How did they end up on earth?" Jack queried, remembering the last encounter he had had with an insecticon, while watching the doors close as it charged towards Arcee…

" I don't know. But we fought. I one point I shot her down, and she asked that when I terminated her spark, to make it hurt…I… wanted to. Primus knows how much I deemed a worse fate for her.." Arcee's voice trailed of, as emotions of guilt and sadness took over. She dropped her speed a little, and Jack looked empathetically upon the blue sentient being.

" I wasn't going to be like her. When I saw one of the pods, I knew I could lock her in stasis…Now we have her trapped back at base." Arcee finished. For a few moments, Jack remained quiet. The decepticon that had threatened him and his mother was now out of action, hopefully for as long as it could remain so. He then spoke up as they approached the final stretch of road leading to the rocky outcrop of the base.

" Arcee…I'm proud of you. Don't beat yourself up just because of what you imagined you could do to her. The fact remains you made the right choice. Your better than Arachnid, and you proved your stronger." Jack spoke, and as he did so, Arcee's spark lifted. As the hidden entrance to the base opened, Arcee returned her partners' comment.

" Thank you…Jack. You know.. You do sound like Optimus, sometimes." Jack looked surprised at the blue motorcycle. However the conversation was finished as they pulled in, and joined their friends.

The decision to take out an offensive upon the momentarily stranded warship was decided, and before Arcee left, she looked and smiled at jack, silently thanking him again for his words, even if the memories still burned deep inside her spark…they were calmer than they had been. All that mattered now was the next mission at hand.


End file.
